Freedom
by Moonlit Crossroads
Summary: Kylie Hamilton is a runaway, due to her parents lack of care. When the time for Prince Ryland's Selection comes up, Kylie applies to support her foster family, not knowing that surprises were in store for her, like her best friend's identity. SYOC 7/25 Submit through PM or review
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys, I don't know you but whatever. I hope you enjoy this story and follow, favorite, and review. This is not on Maxon's or America's timeline. And yes, this is a SYOC, but the main character is Kylie, and I'm only accepting 25 characters. However, if your character is more interesting than Kylie, the story might also be put in her perspective. I welcome some criticism. OC submission sheet will be on my profile. Now, onward with the chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Selection Series; Kiera Cass does.**

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Chapter One

14 year old Kylie Stanford stomped through the crowds of Angeles, angrily cursing her twin sister's luck. _Angeline this, Angeline that. Never Kylie. How come she gets all the love? Even Uncle Gaston only asks how Angeline is doing. What about me, huh? I could answer about my life as a actress. I even got the main character in multiple movies! Oh, whatever. Even I know that Angeline is an angel that could charm the pants off any male._

Kylie frowned and thought, _I suppose I could just run away..._

That was when decided that she would run and get away from her biased family. She thought that perhaps living as a servant wasn't that bad. After all, the royal family made it impossible for anyone to be an Eight when they combined it with the Sevens. _I suppose I should get started on running away..._

* * *

 **3 years later: the time in which the Selection takes place...**

 **Kylie's POV**

"Kylie! The Masons need an extra staff, and I can't go! Is it okay if you go instead?" my foster mother asked.

"Sure, Asereth! I'll be glad to help out," I answered.

It was three years since I ran away. When I reached the border of Angeles, I met a kind family that were Sixes, and they happily took me in. I suddenly had the family I always wanted, one with a little brother, Derek, an older sister, Katelyn, and two loving parents, Asereth and Liam Hamilton. It was as if I was officially apart of their family, and the officials never questioned why I was there; they assumed I was their child and only asked for my (new) name to put in the database because they thought they forgot to. Of course, my real family went looking for me, but they stopped after a year of no results. Although my new family heard of the search and knew it was me being searched for, they never turned me in, and for that I was forever thankful. My appearance drastically changed; my dyed golden hair faded back to brown, my hair grew from shoulder-length to waist-length, and my skin changed from pale to a moderate tan. I soon became accustomed to the daily work life of Sixes. I didn't mind working for snobby Twos; after all, they didn't recognize me, and they were the reason why my family were surviving better off than the other Sixes.

"I'll head over now!" I yelled, then paused. "Wait, where do they live again?"

Asereth laughed, "You forgot again?" I smiled sheepishly. "They live in the next neighborhood, over on Woodley."

"Oh, thanks." I said goodbye again then left for the Masons.

* * *

When I returned home from the Masons, they all rushed to greet me. I wondered why they were all grinning, but I soon found out why.

"Kay!" Derek spoke first. "There was a letter for you!"

"For me? Why?" I asked frightened, thinking my ex-family found me.

"Of course it's for you! You're the only one eligible!" Katelyn answered.

"For what?"

"The Selection of Prince Ryland!" They exclaimed in unison.

I froze, shocked. I always knew he was only two years older than me and that I could possibly be Selected, but my parents only fretted over Angeline getting picked. I supposed finding love wouldn't be that bad, but if I ever entered, I would've done it for the Hamiltons. Although they were better off than the other Sixes, they were struggling everyday for a sufficient meal for growing eight year old Derek. Asereth and Liam were getting older and problems, such as arthritis, were appearing. Katelyn and I made sure all three were fed properly before going to bed in hopes of them becoming healthier. Bags and dark circles were becoming a nuisance when I served for a Two that had guests over; they would laugh over how I should sleep more often, although they worked me till midnight. I sighed, assuming they wanted me to sign up.

"Fine, I'll join," I said, resigning.

"Are you sure, dear? You don't have to if you don't have to if you don't want to," Asereth asked, although she obviously thought I should join.

"Of course, Mother." Asereth smiled. "After all, I haven't had time to have a boyfriend. Ok then, now that that's settled, let's take a look at that letter."

 _To the House of Hamilton, the recent consensus has confirmed that a woman between the age of fifteen to twenty resides in your home. We would like to inform you that she is eligible for a great opportunity to honor our great nation of Illea. Our beloved prince, Prince Ryland Vaillancourt has finally come of age one month ago, on eighteenth day of July. As he ventures forth as the future ruler of Illea, he hopes to move forward with a partner, to marry a true Daughter of Illea._

At that, I paused and skipped over to the form.

 _Full Name:_ Kylie Hamilton

 _Age:_ 17

 _Province:_ Angeles

 _Caste:_ 6

 _Occupation:_ Servant

 _Address:_ XXXXX Oak Drive

 _Hair:_ Dark Brown

 _Eyes:_ Hazel

 _Skin Tone:_ Tan

 _Height:_ 5'5

 _Weight in pounds:_ Approximately 120 lbs

 _Schooling:_ Home-schooled

At this, Katelyn raised her eyebrows in curiosity. I ignored her silent question and continued answering questions.

 _Languages Spoken:_ English, rusty French, and rusty Spanish

Katelyn's eyebrows rose at an alarming rate.

 _Hobbies/Likes:_ Reading, singing, dancing, cooking, and acting/Flowers, music, books, movies, food, and the library

 _Fears/Dislikes:_ Fire and bugs

 _Family:_ One brother, one sister, and two parents

I sighed as I thought about why they needed all this information. _I suppose it isn't a lottery after all..._

* * *

Throughout the week, the post office was packed. I was barely able to get into what I assumed was the line. All of a sudden, I saw a familiar face in the crowd of giggling girls. I could hardly breathe. _Angeline..._ For the first time in three years, I caught a glimpse of my younger-by-one-minute sister, and she was more beautiful than my real mother expected. She dyed her hair a strawberry blonde, her eyes as bright as ever, her body an hourglass. After I snapped out of my reverie, I desperately hoped she wouldn't recognize me. By the time I was up next, an hour and a half passed.

"Next!" the photographer yelled. I hurriedly rushed up to hand in my application and sat down on the stool, smoothing out my faded plaid red dress and looking down at my black combat boots. I dressed my best today, and the clothes I ended up wearing just so happened to be the clothes I ran away in. "Smile!" Out of instinct, I looked up and flashed my movie star smile, and the picture was taken.

I walked home in a rush and tried to calm myself down after the shock of seeing Angeline again. But karma sometimes hits, and I literally run into the person I so desperately tried to avoid.

"I'm so so sorry! Are you alright? It was totally my fault; I wasn't lookin-" I interrupted Angeline.

"It's okay. I wasn't looking either."

Angeline asked, "So...What's your name?"

"Ky-Riley, Riley Hamilton," I replied, in a British accent. "You don't have tell me yours; I recognize you. You're Angeline Stanford." Angeline looked surprised, but then remembered that she was famous. "Anyways, I better get to work; I'm sorry to have interrupted your journey home." And with that, I ran straight home, nearly ripping my already worn out boots.

* * *

When I became tired from running, I realized I had forgotten to go to work, but Katelyn left a note saying she would go in my place. Sometimes she was just too soft on me. With nothing to do at home, I went to the park with a book from the library, sat under my favorite peach tree, and started reading about America, a country where there was no monarchy, no castes, and advanced technology. I soon drifted off to sleep.

"Hey, wake up, Kylie! It's getting dark y'know?" a familiar voice called. I fluttered my eyes open, and there my best friend, Asher, stood. I honestly had no idea what caste he was from, or what his real name was. We met the first time I went to this park; I got lost on how to exit the gated park, and he walked me back home. I honestly thought he was a Two based on his good looks (I had no interest on dating him), but he was most likely a Four. Asher had unruly blond curls and striking gray eyes, but he always dressed like a Four, with factory clothes full of soot. That was why I called him Asher. I also called him Asher because he reminded me of a character from an old American novel, _The Giver_. Asher always teased me, and always managed to make me laugh; he seemed so carefree.

"Hello, Asher," I greeted, smiling.

"You didn't apply for the Selection, did you?" he asked, not replying to my greeting.

"Of course I did. My family needs the money after all," I replied. He looked crestfallen.

Asher fiercely said, "You know I could always provide you with money."

"And _you_ know I don't like charity," I answered frustrated. "I don't get why you're angry anyway. It's not like I'm going to be Selected anyway. There are plenty of other girls in Angeles.

"Of course you don't know why I'm angry," he muttered, looking down.

"What? Why wouldn't I know? You know you could always tell me anything, right?" I questioned, but all he did was glance at me and walk away as quickly as he came.

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 **And that's it for this chapter! I hope you liked it! Follow, favorite, and review! And I don't really care how many characters you submit. I'm probably gonna update next week, as long as I have enough characters to mention during the Report. The whole story is most likely gonna be put in Kylie's POV so don't be confused if I forget to put "Kylie's POV". That's that! See you next time!**

 **~J.A.T.N.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys I'm back after a day! I've decided to make my story placed in 5 different POV's plus the prince's, so keep bringing in those OCs! I only have like 2... :'( This chapter is in** **Celaena Aralynn Eywlle's POV. :)**

 **To the two that reviewed, thank you!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Selection Trilogy; Kiera Cass does**

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 **Celaena's POV**

The heavy beat of the nightclub pounded as I moved around, trying to avoid hands with a certain dirty purpose. I mean, as much as I loved the money my job raked in, it didn't mean I liked to be touched when bringing around drinks. As I turned around, my messily done bun released, splaying out my golden waves. _Should have made it tighter_ , I thought, as my stormy gray eyes glanced over the customers who were staring at me with lust evident in their eyes.

I sighed as I went to the back. "Leila!" I called over to my boss. "I'm heading home."

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Hanging up my coat, I called out into the dark apartment I occasionally shared with my boyfriend. "Percy! I'm home!"

There was no response; just an eerie silence. My black mid-calf length heeled boots clacked on the old wood floors as I thought, _He should be home by now_. "Percy?" I asked, my voice echoing through the hollow halls.

After I reached the end of the hallway, I pushed open the door to his room. My eyes widened, and my jaw hit the floor with a thud. My mind couldn't even process the scene that played out before me.

Chloe Nicks, one of my friends but also the slut of this part of Clermont, was pressed up against _my_ boyfriend. Kissing him, adorned in only her lingerie, her hands tugged at the hem of his shirt. Percy opened his eyes, and they locked onto me in complete shock.

"What the hell?" My purse hit the floor, and I felt tears pricking at the corner of my eyes. No. I wouldn't cry. I slowly turned around, picked up my purse, and exited the room.

"Celaena! Wait!" Percy called out, hands running through his hair, trying to comb out the knots Chloe made.

"Why should I?" I snapped, anger and betrayal bubbling in my chest. I grabbed the closest thing to me, which just so happened to be my favorite photo of Percy and I, and threw it at the wall. "Why don't you go back to Chloe? Seems like she wants you more than I do right now."

"Cel," he grabbed my wrist. "You're my girlfriend, she-"

Yanking my wrist from his grasp, I shrugged my coat back on, "Not anymore, so by all means, go back to whatever you were doing with that slut. I'm not going to stop you two." My voice broke, and I knew staying here wasn't going to help me.

"Wait! Please, let me explain." He begged, following me to the elevator.

"What is there to explain?" I screamed, the tears taunted me, threatening to pour out in any moment. "You cheated on me after two years of 'I love you's and 'I'll never leave you's or 'I'll never hurt you's. What a load of crap, Percy."

Whispering, he stared at his feet, "I do love you."

I scoffed, "Then you've got one hell of a way of showing it." The pitch of my words rose as I spoke, tears forcing their way out of my eyes. Percy Styles placed a hand on my shoulder and spun me around. He pressed his lips against mine, cupped his hands around my face, and wiped the salty tears off my cheek. I wanted more than anything to melt into the kiss and forget that any of this happened.

But it did happen. And I couldn't forget.

I shoved him away from me and clutched the dragon pendant he made for me for our two-year anniversary just a mere three weeks ago, careful not to break the leather cord. I felt so stupid for believing him. His promises of marrying me when the time was right. His promises of helping Payton, my sister's best friend, recover from Lung Cancer.

Most of all, I felt stupid for believing that he loved me as much as I loved him. After the years of dedication, I didn't realize it was all a lie. The metallic fenced door to the rickety elevator shut, and I watched the tears form in Percy's eyes, too. _What if he-_ No. I wasn't going to cling onto "what if's" anymore. It was over.

So why did it feel like it wasn't?

The elevator screeched to a stop, and I kept my head low; returning home dressed like I was wasn't a good idea, not if I wanted to keep my night job a secret, so I didn't ruin my family's perspective of me. There was one place I knew I could always go to as an escape. I drew my coat tighter, hiding my very much exposed chest, and ran through the streets of Clermont as best as I could in heeled boots and through the middle of the night.

* * *

With my fist knocking on the door I knew so well, I waited for Alessandra to let me in. Sure enough, my best friend was still awake. Alessa swung open the door, and after one glance at my face, she engulfed me into a hug. After she pulled away, the girl I knew since kindergarten looked me dead straight in the eyes, and asked, "What happened, Cel?"

"Percy." Alessa frowned, but understood what happened. I half-smiled at her, attempting to seem happier than I really was. "Can I clean up some first?" My voice came out raw due to the crying that occurred during my travel. I was sure I looked like a raccoon. Alessa nodded, and I removed my boots then trudged over to the bathroom.

As I expected, mascara was streaming down my face, giving me the appearance of someone from a horror movie, not to mention the fact that my eyes were bloodshot from crying. My usual stormy eyes looked dull, washed out, and sunken in. I shut my eyes tight, wanting to forget this ever happened. To fall asleep in his arms while watching a movie again. To go back to the marital promises. To being happy because I sure as hell was anything but happy.

I ripped open my bag and drew out some makeup removal wipes. Dabbing at my face until the cloth turned black, I tried to improve my appearance. I reached into my bag to fetch my brush when I saw it. The white, pristine letter peeking out. The Selection form. Prince Ryland was about to hold his Selection, and I was eligible.

My hands snatched up my bag as I departed from the solitary confinement of the bathroom and found myself face-to-face with an eagerly awaiting Alessa.

"I want to sign up for the Selection." _Goodbye, Percy._

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 **Prince Ryland's POV**

I ran my fingers through my shaggy black hair for the millionth time today. The Selection was starting soon, and 35 girls living in the palace wasn't exactly my idea of fun. And to add to that, my opinion seemed to matter on what the Selected's room color should be, which curtains should they have, or whether or not I should bring in more maids. I was pressured enough with all the interviews taking place. My eighteen year old brother still had freedom, although only for a year.

Walking with my head down in the hallway, I didn't realize that my brother, Aiden, was soon to come barreling into me.

 _Bam!_ I rubbed my forehead, which got most of the impact, and looked up. Prince Aiden was also rubbing his forehead, but his curly blonde hair kept getting in the way. Although we were siblings, we looked nothing alike, unless you count our defined jawline, lean builds, and messy hair. While I inherited my mother's black hair and blue eyes, Aiden inherited my father's blonde curls and gray eyes. I scanned his attire and realized that he was wearing a factory worker's uniform.

"Where are you going?" I asked him.

With his signature smirk, Aiden mysteriously replied, "I've got places to be, people to see, bro." Then, he walked away, heading towards the direction of the poorer neighborhoods of Angeles. At least he was able to explore Illea, albeit under the guise of a lower caste worker. I couldn't even enter the forests until the Selection started. _I wish I was Aiden,_ I thought.

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 **I hope you enjoyed this new (short) entry! I bet I already spoiled the surprise identity, but you can guess. I suppose it'll be a couple chapters till I reach the Report, but stay tuned!**


	3. Author's Note

**Hey guys! Thank you to all that submitted OCs, but I still need more! And, if u do submit, I need more crown wanting girls, bitches, and caste 4 and 5s. Anyway, this is not, in fact, a chapter, although I know that author's notes are not allowed to be submitted as chapters. But I just wanted to let all those that followed know that I've lost a lot of inspiration for this story. I will try to update once I figure out how to put my ideas to words, but for now, I don't know what to do with this story. That's all...Bye!**


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